Are you a Windows user interested in production? Stay here because we are going to look at the best DAW for Windows. With the exception of Apple’s Logic Pro, most modern DAWs have cross-platform capabilities, so finding the right one for you shouldn’t be a big deal.
When we start in the world of music production, it is very common to ask ourselves the question “what is the best DAW for me?” . We can watch many videos and read thousands of articles where the advantages and disadvantages of each of the different programs that exist are explained, but it is never 100% clear.
Table of Contents
What is a DAW?
Simply put, DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation, and it is software that allows you to record, edit, and mix your music. The DAW software comes with everything a musician needs to take their tracks from scratch to completion.
Key Aspects to consider when choosing a DAW for Windows
When choosing a DAW you have to take into account some factors, such as the price, the size of the sound library or the use that is going to be given to it. Knowing the role you’d like to play also helps, as there are plenty of DAW options to suit certain niches. A sound engineer may have different needs than, for example, a composer or a musician.
Likewise, if you’re a beginner, you obviously won’t need a program with a difficult or complex learning curve. And respectively, a professional would look for recording software with a few extra bells and whistles to help smooth out and add that extra touch to their process.
These are just a few ideas to keep in mind when deciding on the top DAW software for you and your workflow.
The Top DAWs for Windows
1. Avid Pro Tools
When it comes to digital audio workstations, Pro Tools leads the way in terms of sheer professionalism. Pro Tools is the industry standard for music software, thanks to its high-quality editing tools and nearly endless capabilities. Since it’s quite common in recording studios around the world, I’m sure you or someone you know has heard of Pro Tools.
It features excellent multitrack recording, with up to 256 simultaneous recording inputs for the Pro tools ultimate version, and up to 16 for the basic version.
Professional engineers feel right at home with Pro Tools because of its renowned audio editing and mixing environment. The bussing/aux track combo really opens up possibilities, and the clever tool lets you easily sculpt your recordings.
One thing Windows has compared to Mac is the ability to continue upgrading hardware after purchase. You can keep expanding your RAM and hard drive space, giving you more power, speed, and room to work. Pro Tools can make use of this power in its ‘Pro Tools | HD’, designed for those who work with large amounts of audio, such as in post-production.
As it is,
The latest version of Pro Tools comes with a first-class vocal pitch correction tool. As for the virtual instruments, the software comes with 8 powerful plugins like a mini grand piano, drum machine, and vacuum tube synth to name a few.
There are also tons of pro audio processing effect plugins to experiment with, from vintage reverb and delays, all the way to reel tape clipping. You can also keep projects in sync with avid cloud collaboration, which lets you work on sessions remotely. The old days of emailing projects to other artists are a thing of the past.
One of the main drawbacks of this software is the lack of compatibility with VST plugins, as you will be required to use their native AAX format. This means that you wont be a lazy artist with Pro Tools.
All in all, Avid Pro Tools is one of the industry leaders in DAW software, and since it is compatible with the PC, it by default becomes one of the top pieces of DAW software for Windows.
The pricing goes like this:
- Artist – $9.99/month
- Studio – $31.99/month
- Flex – 99,99 $/
2. FL Studio Image Line
FL Studio is sure to be seen in studios around the world, from the largest to the smallest studios. Electronic music producers praise it for its ease of use, and more specifically for its midi sequencing.
FL Studio (Fruity Loops) was originally a PC-only product, until in recent years it was finally expanded to the Mac platform. The feature that makes FL stand out is its sequencer and piano roll combo. Music producers can create drum patterns filled with fast hi-hat rolls in the blink of an eye.
In addition to the usual things that you can edit once in the piano roll, like velocity, note length, etc., FL has a cool ghost note feature that allows you to faintly see the midi data of other tracks on your song.
This speeds up your workflow, allowing you to create counter-melodies and beats without having to switch to those respective tracks.
Although it may seem simplistic, it is quite powerful under the hood, as it comes with software instruments such as ‘Flex’, ‘Gross Beat’ and ‘DirectWave’. The assortment of mixing plugins will help you mix your tracks from start to finish.
I’d like to add though
While stock drum samples may be what you need to get the job done, they’re surely not the best of the best. You’re probably better off importing your own samples to get the sound you want.
FL Studio makes it easy for you, as you can keep a directory with your custom sample folders in the sidebar, making it easy to drag and drop them in and out of the project. If this doesn’t satisfy you, FL Studio has a store full of sample packs and loops that allow you to keep expanding your sound library.
From a specialist point of view, voice recording is not as easy to use as the aforementioned DAW.
When it comes to the top DAW software for Windows, FL Studio has to be ranked high for its ease of use and unique and fast workflow, especially in the sound or beat production.
3. PreSonus Studio One
PreSonus Studio One is the answer for Windows users who need a switchboard that does everything from songwriting to mastering to preparing setlists for live performance. Studio One regularly appears on best DAW lists, and with good reason.
The pioneering drag-and-drop workflow lets you drop virtually anything into your session, from samples to effects and software instruments. There are a handful of effects and virtual instruments to choose from, each with professional quality.
Drum machine lovers will feel right at home with the native ‘Impact XT’ plugin, which allows you to load samples in one fell swoop or entire loops that sync to the song. Equally important is the ‘Sample XT’ module, which could be a sampler’s best friend. It works just as well as any sampler, giving you the ability to auto-cut, deconstruct, stretch, and morph samples to your satisfaction.
More About Studio One
If you’re an engineer more than a producer, don’t worry, as Studio One has enough gems to keep you satisfied, too. For example, the Mix Engine FX recreates the actual behavior of an analog circuit, modeled component by component from the actual hardware. Dropping it into your mix is sure to add some analog glue.
Another cool feature that I found worth mentioning was Studio One’s retrospective recording feature, which allows you to capture notes and ideas without having to hit the record button. This is perfect for those times when you’ve been auditioning but forgot to hit the record button.
Whether you’re a pro or a beginner, PreSonus Studio One has plenty of plugins, samples, and features worth checking out. There is more than enough to stimulate your creativity.
The only issue with Studio one is that their packages are a bit expensive. This is their prices:
- Artist Edition – $99
- Professional Edition – $399
- PreSonus Sphere Edition – $164.95/YR
4. Ableton Live –
Without a doubt, this software is the most powerful and minimalist of all. It is a DAW that allows you to do a thousand and one things and in terms of performance and compatibility, it will never give you any problems.
Let’s just say Ableton is everyone’s best friend. It has a series of quite good stock plugins that are very easy to use. Although it must be clarified that this software is widely used within the electronic music scene, since it has many tools that make it easier for you to make live sets.
If what you want is to lean more towards a genre or some other that uses a lot of samples, this is the one. The only bad thing is that it is not so intuitive and the mixing window is not aesthetic at all.
Finally, it is important to clarify that each DAW has its own. There is not going to be one that is perfect. It’s just a matter of doing your research, downloading the demo versions, playing with them for a while and seeing which one suits your needs. Once you find it, you’ll never let go.
Tell us in a comment which ones you used and which one you married.
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